Embolic protection filters are frequently used in conjunction with other therapeutic devices to filter embolic material such as plaque or thrombus from the blood stream. In a typical application such as percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), a collapsed filter is advanced along a guidewire to a location distal a lesion to be dilated. After the filter has been positioned and deployed within the vessel, an angioplasty catheter containing an angioplasty balloon is advanced along the guidewire and positioned proximal the lesion. The angioplasty balloon is then inflated, forcing the embolic material to become dislodged from the walls of the vessel and flow downstream, where it is collected by the filter. At the conclusion of the procedure, the guidewire, catheter, filter, and collected embolic debris are then removed from the body.
Catheters are frequently utilized in advancing and removing embolic protection filters within the body. These catheters often require relatively large chambers to transport the collapsed filter within the body, resulting in an enlarged profile. This enlarged profile may hinder placement of the device within the tortuous vasculature. In some cases, the delivery catheter may even aggravate the lesion to be dilated. As such, it is desireable to have an embolic protection filter with a compact profile to facilitate transport within the body.